Whom to Believe? by Robert Satter
Drawing on sources. Many aspects of our legal system are currently being
debated, including the death penalty, DNA testing, racial bias, trying children
as adults, and executing the mentally retarded. Select one of these issues or
another one of your choice and discuss why that issue is significant. Your purpose
is not to argue for or against capital punishment, trying children as adults,
and so forth; rather, your purpose is to explain why the issue matters.
For ideas, you can consult keywords related to your topic, such as "capital
punishment" and "juveniles tried as adults" in the Social Sciences
Index or visit the "Issues & Action" Section at http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/pl.
Ring Leader by Natalie Kusz
Drawing on sources. Many people have body image problems because they
look in the mirror and do not like what they see, even though they look perfectly
fine. Some people speculate that the impossible standard of beauty presented
in magazine and television advertisements contributes to body image problems.
Study a sampling of advertisements in magazines and on television and then agree
or disagree with this speculation. You can also look in the Social Sciences
Index under the heading "body image." Salvation by Langston Hughes
Drawing on sources. The Harlem renaissance was an important period in
the literary history of the United States because it changed the character of
African-American literature. Write an essay that explains what the Harlem renaissance
was and how it affected literature, and use narration to show Langston Hughes's
place in the movement. If you need a starting point, you can find articles in
the MLA International Bibliography of Books and Articles on Modern Language
and Literature and information in Black American Literature: A Critical
History. Online, http://www.nku.edu/~diesmanj/harlem.html
has helpful information and links to other relevant sites. Lost at C by Jean Shepherd
Drawing on sources. A 1998 study reports that the math skills of American
high school seniors lag behind those of their counterparts in many other countries.
In fact, of 24 countries studied, American seniors came in last. Some people
think that proficiency testing will improve students' performance in mathematics
and other subjects. What do you think? Explain whether or not you think proficiency
testing is a good idea. If it is relevant, incorporate an anecdote about testing
from your own experience. For information on the subject, you can consult the
Educational Resources Information Center in your library reference room. This
bibliography of education resources is also available online at http://ericir.syr.edu/. By Any Other Name by Santha Rama Rau
Drawing on sources. Language can be used to oppress people. For example,
ethnic and gender slurs can create and reinforce the idea that certain groups
are inferior to others. In "By Any Other Name," the teacher uses language
to suggest that something is wrong with Santha's name, that it isn't "pretty."
Discuss the ways language can be used to dehumanize and oppress people. For
ideas, you can consult a dictionary of slang, which will usually give commonly
used names for groups. You can also consult the Reader's Guide to Periodical
Literature or InfoTrak under the topic "ethnic slurs" for recent
articles on offensive names. A Hanging by George Orwell
Drawing on sources. Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" also draws
on his experiences as a police officer in Burma. You can find it in your campus
library as part of Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays or on the Internet
at http://pages.citenet.net/users/charles/shootelp.html.
Read that essay and then explain what "A Hanging" and "Shooting
an Elephant" reveal about Orwell's view of government. Be sure to back
up your assertions with specific references to the essays. (For help with writing
a synthesis, see p. xx.) |
2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education